Packing-machine for silos and the like.



F. 0. GRIFFIN. v PACKING MACHINE FOR SILOS AND THE LIKE, APPL-ICATIONFILED NOV. 30. 1915.

1 ,1 87,304: Patented June 13, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- I (7%rng jedfera'cl' do %M W7 HE coLuMmA FLANDGRAPH110., WASHINGTON D u F. 0. mm. PACKING MACHINE FOR suds 'ANDWTHE' LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 30, IBIS- Patentd June 13; 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- Zzumr Z'mckrz 62: 0W5) THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cO-,WASHINGTON, n. c.

FREDERICK O. GRIFFIN, OF OSGEOLA, IOWA.

PACKING-MACHINE FOR SILOS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented une 13, 1916.

Application filed November 30, 1915. Serial No. 64,312.

sembled in a silo for operation and readily dissociated afteraccomplishment of the work of packing a silo and easily trans portedfrom one silo to another.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve the structureof devices of this class and to render them more positive in operationand effective in packing the silage uniformly throughout the interior ofa silo through the medium of a tapering roller organization driven by amotor carried on the frame of the machine, and whereby the improveddevice as an'entirety is located within the silo when in working order.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a packingmechanism for silos wherein the main packing organization, or

that which comes in direct contact with the silage, extends fully to thecenter of the silo and may be used in silos varying in diameter, thepacking organization having a maximum extent or length to adapt it foruse in silos of large diameter and equally eflicient in silos of smallerdiameter without requiring a readjustment or diminution of the packingorganization.

Vith these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionconsists in the preferred construction and arrangement of parts whichwill be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a portion of a siloshowing the improved packing machine-disposed therein in top plan view.Fig. Zisan end elevation of the improved machine showing part of theoperating mechanism broken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal verticalsection of the packing roller organization and supporting frametherefor. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken in the plane ofthe line 4-4, Fig. 3. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail perspective views ofportions of the roller organization. Fig. 8 is a detail plan viewshowing a modification of a part of the mechanism. Fig. 9 is a detailelevation of one of the roller sections or members showing amodification in construction.

The numeral 5 designates the main frame comprising longitudinal sidebeams or bars 6 and end connecting beams or bars 7.

These beams or bars 6 and 7 are securedby suitable bolts on otherfastenings that may be readily detached so that the frame 5 may bedismantled or the parts thereof dissociated and afterward readilyassembled; Nearrone end of the frame 5 cross supporting beams or bars 8are applied and may also be readily separated from the beams or bars 6.Secured to one side of the frame 5 and projecting materially in advanceof the latter is a supplemental or leader frame 9 comprising beams orbars 10 and 11 secured to the opposite ends of one oftheside beams orbars 6 and connected by a brace beam or bar 12. The leader frame 9 isfurther braced by a beam or bar 13 intersecting the brace beam or bar 12at right angles and secured at one end to the one side beam or bar 6 andat its opposite end connected to the intersecting ends of the angularbeams or bars 10 and 11, or said beam or bar 13 terminates at the apexvof the leader frame 9. This frame 9 may have the parts thereof readilyseparable by using fastening devices of the nut and bolt or other typecapable of being easily detached and applied to connect up the severalparts of the frame. The-main supporting frame 5 will be of a lengthcorresponding to approximately one-half of the diameter of. the interiorof a silo ofvmaximum size, the inner end of this frame in the operationof the machine extending over the center of the silo when the mechanismis disposed in operative position in the latter. A traveling or bearingwheel 14 is suitably mount- .ed at the outer corner of the main frame 5on the side of this frame opposite that from which the leader frame 9extends, and at the apex'of the leader frame a similar travel or bearingwheel 15 is in like manner mounted, said wheels 14 and 15 bearingagainst the inner surface of the vertical wall of the silo during theoperation of the machine to maintain the latter in easy moving relationto the interior of the silo and also to give the machine as a l entlretya regular rotation within and corresponding to the interior contour ofthe silo. The wheels 14 and 15 engaging the inner surface of thevertical wall of the silo also act to maintain the machine as anentirety in positive position within the si'lo and rocking oroscillation of the machine is thereby prevented.

As shown by Fig. 8, a slight modification in the traveling or bearingwheel organization is illustrated and is particularly applicable to theapex of the leader frame 9,'said modification comprising an angle lever16 extending over and-pivoted at the intersection of the arms 10 and 11on the apex of the leader frame 9 the end of the shorter arm 16 of saidlever having a cross-arm 17 pivoted to the end thereof. The cross-arm 17has wheels 17 mounted on the ends thereof for engagement with the innersurface of the vertical wall of the silo. A. toothed segment 17". isfixed on the frame 9, and the longer arm 16 of the lever 16 carrieslocking means 17 to engage said segment and whereby the cross-arm 17 maybe adjusted for guiding the machine in different sizes of silos. lhismodified construction gives a more extended support to the advance endor apex of the leader frame 9, and if desired the same modifiedstructure may be applied in lieu of the wheel 14-.

The frame 5 is provided with hangers 18 and 19 depending from oppositeends thereof or from the centers of the transverse beams or bars 7 andin suitable bearings in the ends of these hangers a main shaft 20 ismounted to rotate. Secured on the shaft 20 to rotate therewith is a mainpacking roller 21 which gradually tapers from the outer toward the innerend thereof and is of less length than the shaft 20. Also mounted on theshaft 20 between the inner reduced end of the main packing roller 21 andthe inner hanger 19 are tapered rollers 22 and 23, the latter rollersbeing free to rotate on the shaft, and the inner-end of the roller 22abuts closely against the outer end of the roller 23. The rollers 21, 22and 23, together with the frames 5 and 9 and the operating mechanismwhich will be presently' specified, give to the machine as a wholeconsiderable weight which is concentrated on the rollers; and the roller21, which rotates with the shaft 20, is polygonal in cross-section so asto present a number of flat faces on the outer surface of the roller tothe silage, and as a consequence when the roller 21 is rotated throughthe medium of the shaft 20 the machine as an entirety is caused torevolve within. the silo and the said roller may therefore be 7 properlytermed not only a packing roller, but also a feeding roller whichcontrols the movement of the machine over the entire silage surface inthe silo. The rollers 22 and 23 have smooth outer bearing surfaces andare free to rotate on the shaft 20 at any speed and in accordance withthe movement of the main roller 21 and the machine as an entirety; andby means of the said rollers 22 and 23 there is no crowding or irregularpacking of the silage at the center of the mass. The arrangement of therollers as specified adapts the machine to operate in silos of differentsizes, as for instance in a silo having either a 12, 141 or 16-footdiameter. In a silo having a 12-foot diameter the rollers 22 and 23project beyond the center of the silo and turn backwardly during theforward movement of the main roller 21. In a silo of l f-foot diameterthe roller 23 projects overthe center and operates or rotates in adirection reverse to the main roller 21 and the roller 22 during theforward movement of the machine; and in a silo having a 16-foot diameterthe rollers 21, 22 and 23 reach just half-way across the interior of thelatter silo. The main roller 21 in addition to its polygonal contour incross-section, and whereby a number of bearing faces are formed, has aplurality of longitudinally extending ribs 24: running completely fromend to end thereof and in the centers of the bearing faces, as clearlyshownby Figs. 1 and 6. These ribs 24: give strong tractivecharacteristics to the main rollers 21 as the ribs take into the silagesurface and provide gripping means, as it were, and at the same time theshort pieces of silage are drawn under or beneath the main roller as thelatter progresses instead of being pushed ahead of the same, and by thismeans a more even packing of the silage results and at the same time theself-feed of the roller 21 and of the machine as an entirety, throughthe medium of the said roller, is positive and reliable.

It is proposed to use rollers of different constructions or to make therollers 21, 22 and 23 of anydesired form, but it is preferred that themain roller 21 be composed of separable sections or members eachembodying a certain number of components, and in accordance with thispreferred construction the said. roller 21 is provided with oppositeends of. heads 25 and 26 made up of four sections 27 similar in contourin each instance or each being just one-quarter of the head of which itis a part, the sections in the two heads 25 and 26 being exactly thesame but differing in size in view of the tapering construction of theroller 21 and the consequent reduced diameter of the inner end or head26. The'sections or segments 27 of the heads extend fully into the shaft20 and each has an outer horizontal key 28 projecting therefrom, and atthe periphery each section or segment'is also formed with seat grooves29 parallel with the outer polygonal edges 30 of the section or segment.0n the shaft 20 adjacent to the outer end of the latter a key disk 31 issecured and has slots 32 formed therein at diametrically oppositepoints, and the inner portion of the shaft also has a similar smallerdisk 33 which is in like manner formed with slots 34. The slots 32 and34 of the disks 31 and 33 receive the keys 28 of the sections orsegments 27, the latter being located at equal distances from the innerterminals of said sections or segments and providing means for separablyholding the parts of the roller in a positive manner.

As shown by Fig. 3, the keys 28 of the sections or segments 27 at theouter end of the roller 21 extend through the slots 32 of the disk 31from the inner side of said disk outwardly toward the wall of the silo;whereas the keys 28 of the inner head or end 26 of the roller 21 projectthrough the slots 34 of the disk 33 from the inner side of the latteroutwardly toward the enlarged end of the roller; and adjacent to theinner head or end 26 a set disk 35 is secured on the shaft 20 which,bearing against the sections or segments of the inner head or end 26,serves to hold the parts of said head or end and the inner end of theroller as a whole in positive assembled relation, and at the same timethe set disk 35 provides a space means between the inner end of theroller and the adjacent end of the next roller 22 which is loose on theshaft. The working surface of the roller 21 is composed of a series ofplates or strips 36 which have their ends seated in the grooves 29, saidplates or strips 36 carrying the longitudinal ribs or projections 24, asclearly shown by Figs. 4 and 6; and when the heads or ends 25 and 26composed of the sections as specified are assembled in connection withthe disks 31 and 33 the plates or strips 36 will be held firmly in placeand form engaging faces adapted to come in contact with the silage, andin view of the ribs 24 thereon a positive feed of the roller and of themachine as an entirety will ensue when the shaft 20 is rotated. Theroller 21 when constructed as just described may be readily taken apartand assembled as occasion may require in mounting the machine within asilo and to withdraw the machine from the silo for the purpose oftransporting it to another similar structure or for storage. It isproposed to form the parts of the machine as thus far described of anysuitable material, metal being preferable to give the mechanism as awhole the proper weight to effectively pack the silage within a silo.

As shown by Fig. 1, the outer end of the main packing and feed roller 21is located a considerable distance from the inner surface of thevertical wall of the silo and without provision of means which will bepresently explained the silage falling in between the said end of theroller and the wall of the silo would remain loose, and tocompensate forthis space a packing wheel or roller 37 is mounted on a. shaft 38engaging suitable bearings on the beams or bars 19 and 12 of the leaderor supplemental frame 9, the shaft 38 being disposed at such anglerelatively to the frame 9 as to cause the wheel to run closely to theinner surface of the vertical wall of the silo and fully cover the spacethat is left unengaged by the roller 21. The roller or marginal packer37 runs loose on the shaft 38, and the weight of the supplemental frame9 is imposed on the shaft 38 and said roller 37 and thereby sufficientpressure 1s given to the silage engaged by the roller 37 that willresult in a tight packing of the silage engaged by the said latterroller.

The shaft 20 is operated through the medium of a suitable motor 39,preferably of the electrical type, and which is mounted on thesupporting beams or bars 8, the shaft 40 of this motor being providedwith a suitable sprocket wheel 41 engaged by a sprocket belt 42 which inturn engages a sprocket wheel 43 on the inner end of a transmissionshaft 44 mounted in suitable bearings in the beams or bars 8 and theouter transverse beam or bars 7. The shaft 44 projects outwardly beyondthe outer beam or bar 7 and is provided with a sprocket wheel 45; and onthe adjacent end of the shaft 20 is a sprocket wheel 46, a chain belt 47being trained over the two sprocket wheels 45 and 46 and by this meansthe shaft 20 is regularly driven from the motor. The motor may be of anypreferred type, and it will also be understood that any mechanism otherthan that specified might be adopted for rotating the shaft 20, but itis preferred that the machine be equipped with such form of operatingmechanism that it will be unnecessary to extend any part of themechanism for imparting motion to the shaft 20 outside of the silo. Itis obvious that a well known form of gasolene engine or motor may beused for driving the mechanism where electric current is inaccessible.

Instead of the plates or strips 36, which as shown by Fig. 4 are threein number in engagement with each section or segment 27 of the heads, agalvanized sheet iron or other sheet metal section 48 may be used andsuitably bent into shape to provide ribs or corrugations 49 therein, asshown by Fig. 9, four of these sheet metal surface sheets being used tocomplete the drum or roller 21 and having their ends fitted in thegrooves 29 of the segments of the heads. The weight of the drum orroller 21 may be increased at will through the medium of tanks 50secured to each quarter-section of the main drum or roller 21 betweenthe heads 25 and 26 and suitably connected to the parts withoutinterfering with the ready separation iso thereof. These tanks 50preferably'fill the space within the main drum 21 and have the sametapering contour as the latter. Each tank is provided with means forintroducing water or sand therein. It will be understood that the weightof the main drum 21 can thus be modified at will to regulate the pressure thereof relatively to the material operated upon as may be foundnecessary.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a packing machine of aconvenient type for use in silo-s is provided and capable of having itsparts separated and associated as circumstances may demand, particularlyto accommodate various sizes of openings or inlets of silos. In somesilo structures the doors project inside, and under such conditions itwould be preferable to use the form of travel, bearing or guiding wheelsas shown by Fig. 8 and carried by the pivoted beam or arm 16 so that onewheel will pass over the projecting door in advance of the other and apositive guiding action thus result without material jar; whereas when asingle wheel is used, as shown by 1, there might be considerable jar bythe wheel engaging the door projections. It will also be understood thatthe operating mechanism will be properly proportioned to give the speedof rotation desired to the shaft 20. While the parts 21, 22 and 23 havebeen described as rollers, they may also be considered as drums whichoperate to pack the silage which they engage.

Changes in the proportions, dimensions and minor details may be adoptedwithout departing from the spiritof the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a frame, a driven shaftcarried by the frame, a main tapered drum carried by and fixed to saidshaft to rotate with the latter, and smaller tapered drums looselymounted on the inner extremity of the shaft. 7

2. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a frame, a driven shaftcarried by the frame, a main tapered drum polygonal in cross-section andfixed on said shaft to rotate with the latter to provide both a packingand machine progressing means, and smaller tapered drums loosely mountedon the inner extremity of the shaft. 7

3. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a main positively driventapered packing drum having a polygonal contour in crosssection andprovided with tractive faces, and smaller tapered drums adjacent to theinner extremity of the main drum and having a loose rotative movement.

a. In a. packing machine for silos and the like, a main positivelydriven tapered packing drum having a'polygonal surface to providetractive faces, a frame carrying said drum, and driving mechanism forthe drum, the said drum also operating to progressively move and tocarry the frame and driving mechanism therewith.

5. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a main positively driventapered packing drum having a polygonal surface to provide tractivefaces, the said faces having central longitudinally disposed ribs, aframe carrying said drum, and driving mechanism for the drum.

6. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a driven shaft, a mainpositively driven tapered packing drum keyed on the shaft, the drumhaving readily separable and associable components consisting of endheads made up of a series of segments and flat plates or membersengaging and extending between said heads, and means on the shaft forengaging portions of the saidheads.

7. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a driven shaft, a maintapered packing drum keyed on the shaft, the drum having readilyseparable and associable components consisting of end heads made up of aseries of segments having keys projecting therefrom and flat plates ormembers terminally engaging the heads near the peripheries of thelatter, and means on the shaft to separably receive the keys of thesegments.

8. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a driven shaft, a maindrum keyed on. the shaft, the drum having readily separable andassociable components consisting of end heads made up of a series ofsegments having keys projecting from one side and seat grooves alsoformed therein with fiat plates or members terminally engaging saidgrooves, and means on the shaft to separahly receive the keys of thesegments.

9. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a driven shaft, a maintapered packing drum keyed on the said shaft, the drum having readilyseparable and associable components consisting of end heads made up of aseries of segments having keys projecting therefrom and flat plates ormembers terminally engaging the heads, and disks secured on the shaftandprovided with opposed slots to separably receive said segment keys.

10. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a driven shaft, a maintapered packing drum on the shaft and comprising heads having separablesegments with keys projecting from one side and grooves near theperipheries in the opposite side and flat plates or members between theheads engaging said grooves, the plates having outer longitudinallyextending ribs, and means secured on the shaft to separably receive thesaid keys.

11. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a frame composed ofseparable parts and carrying a shaft, a main packing roller made up ofseparable parts and secured on the shaft, smaller tapered rollersloosely mounted on and separable from the shaft, and mechanism fordriving said shaft.

12. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a main frame having aleader frame connected thereto, a shaft carried by the main frame, apacking drum mounted on said shaft, mechanism for operating the shaft,and a marginal packing roller carried by the leader frame.

18. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a main frame having aleader frame connected thereto, a shaft carried by the main frame, fastand loose packing drums on the said shaft, a marginal packing rollercarried by the leader frame, guide rollers on the main and leaderframes, and mechanism for driving said shaft.

14:. In a packing machine for Silos and the like, a main frame having aleader frame connected thereto, a shaft carried by the main frame, fastand loose packing drums on the said shaft, a mar inal packing rollercarried by the leader frame, a guide roller at the one outer corner ofthe main frame, a pair of spaced guide rollers pivotally carried by theleader frame, and mechanism for operating said shaft.

15. A packing machine for silos and the like having a driven shaft, amain packing drum fixed to the shaft to rotate therewith, and smallerdrums loosely mounted on the shaft and free to rotate in the same or ina direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the main drum.

16. A packing machine for silos and the like having a driven shaft, amain packing drum fixed to the shaft to rotate therewith, and a marginalpacking roller mountedto cooperate With the packing drum to engage thematerial Which is cleared by the outer extremity of the drum.

17. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a driven shaft, a mainpacking drum fixed to the shaft to rotate therewith, smaller drumsloosely mounted on the shaft and free to rotate in the same or in adirection opposite to the direction of rotation of the main drum, and amarginal packing roller mounted to cooperate With the said drums and toengage the material to be packed which is cleared by the outer portionof the main drum.

18. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a driven shaft, a mainpacking drum fixed to and rotatable With the shaft, smaller drumsloosely mounted on the inner extremity of the shaft and free to rotateon the latter, and a marginal packing roller mounted to cooperate Withthe said drums and engage the material to be nacked beyond the outer endof the main packing drum.

19. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a driven shaft and amain packing drum fixed to and rotatable With the shaft and embodyingtherein a series of Weight tanks for receiving material to increase thepressure force of the drum.

20. In a packing machine for silos and the like, a main positivelydriven packing drum comprising readily separable and associablecomponents consisting of end heads made up of a series of segments anddevices between the said segmental heads to provide a pressing surfacefor the drum, and means for operating the drum.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

FREDERICK O. GRIFFIN. Witnesses:

F. C. JONES, W. B. TALLMAN, Jr.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. i

